1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to protective sportswear, and particularly to supplemental external helmet pads for a sports helmet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protecting athletes from disabling injury has long been a primary focus for practitioners in the field of sports medicine and manufacturers of protective sportswear. The prevention of concussion injuries has been especially a target of discussion in view of recent findings regarding the long-term effects of such injuries. Athletes participating in sports, such as football, hockey, cycling, baseball, etc., whether professional or amateur, typically are required to wear helmets for protection in violent collisions or blows to the head. Waves (shock and acoustic) propagated by the aforementioned collisions and blows are thought to cause stress to the brain that may consequently produce concussions. Heretofore, helmets have been designed to protect the athlete from the effects of shock waves. No attention has been given to the effect of acoustic waves as a causative factor in concussive injuries. The need for a protective system that could be applied to existing helmet structure and that would be effective to absorb both shock and acoustic waves would be accepted eagerly in the art. Thus, helmet pads solving the aforementioned problem are desired.